Caustic supply means for washing solutions



Aug. 21, 1934. R. J. WYNNE ET AL CAUSTIC SUPPLY MEANS FOR WASHING SOLUTIONS Original Filed June 5, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet l 1 7VEZ 752 E file/f Aug. 21, 1934. R J wYNNE E AL 1,970,788

CAUSTIC SUPPLY MEANS FOR WASHING SOLUTIONS Original Filed June 5 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 l E rgy 1 03am 1/ Z/yrzrze. 7%11/ 7/. %eyer:

Patented Aug. 21, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CAUSTIG SUPPLY MEANS FOR WASHING SOLUTEONS Robert J. Wynne and Paul H. Meyer, Bellwood,

Ill., assignors to Sclar-Sturges Mfg. (30., Melrose Park, III., a corporation of Illinois 5 Claims.

The present invention relates generally to a caustic supply means for washing solutions, and more particularly to means for periodically cleaning the washing solution and also periodically 5 adding caustic to the solution to maintain its strength. 7 V

In bottle washing machines, it is customary, to ofttimes provide a soaking bath or washing bath solution with a lot of caustic, by piling it in one end of thebath. This is disadvantageous because sometimes the pile of caustic becomes hardened to an extent where it does not readily enter into solution, making necessary stopping of the machine and cutting away of the hardened caustic by manual labor.

The presentinvention contemplates the provision of means for supplying caustic gradually, for maintaining a soaking solution at maximum strength, and as well contemplates provision of means for periodically cleaning the scum from the bath.

I An object of the present invention is to provide, in a washing machine, means for periodically cleaning a soaking bath.

Another object of the invention is to provide, in a washing machine, means for periodically replenishing the soaking bath with caustic or other cleansing agent.

A further object of the invention is to provide means for maintaining a soaking bath at 'maximum strength and also for periodically removing from it the scum or accumulation of foreign matter which takes place during its use.

The above, other and further objects of the invention will be apparent from the following description, the accompanying drawings, and the appended claims.

' The present application is a division of copending application Serial 542,239 filed June 5, 1931, now Patent No. 1,934,247, dated November 7, 1933.

The accompanying drawings illustrate embodiments of the present invention and the views thereof are as follows:

Figure 1 is a fragmental side elevational view of a bottle washing machine constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention, and showing part of the driving mechanism for operating the bottle washing machine.

Figure 2 is a fragmental vertical sectional View of'a fragmental portion of the left-hand end of the machine illustrated in Fig. 1, and shows details of construction and operation of the bucket used for clarifying and replenishing the soaking bath.

Figure 3 is a fragmental vertical transverse sectional view, of a slightly modified arrangement, showing the front elevation of the bucket of Figure 2.

The drawings will now be explained.

The illustrated form of bottle washing machine comprises a casing A which is supported on a fioor'by means of feet 1 which are so associated. with the casing as to adjust it for leveling purposes.

Part of the washing machine mechanism includes a vertically reciprocable cross-head 2 which is moved by swinging arms 3 pivoted at 4 to the opposite ends of the cross-head. The swinging arms 3 are driven by triangular gears 5 in mesh with pinions, not shown, mounted on a transverse shaft 6, which shaft in turn is rotated through suitable connections, by a motor 7, The cross-head 2 is provided with depending rods 8, which rods at their lower ends, carry rams or plungers for dislodging bottles as carried in the conveyor B. i

The conveyor B is arranged within the casing A in suitable manner to be driven in step by step movement as fully explained in copending application Serial 542,239.

The conveyor B is given intermittent step by step movement in a forward direction by means of pawls pivotally connected to the upper ends of swinging levers 9 which are pivoted between their ends at 10 to levers 11. The lower ends of the levers 9 are pivoted at 41 to links 42, which latter in turn are pivoted at 43 to the swinging arms 3. The levers 11 at similar ends are pivoted at 12 to depending levers 13 mounted on the cross-head pivots 4. The other endsof the levers 11 areconnected by a rod 14 which has arcuate travel through arcuate slots 15 formed in the sides of the casing ,A. Pivoted to the rod 14, on each side of the casing A, are depending links 16 which at their lower ends are pivoted at 17 to the arms 18 of bell-crank lever C. The bell-crank levers C are pivoted at 19 in the machine framework. The other arms 20 of bell-crank C are pivoted at 21 to links 22 for driving the loading and unloading mechanism at the opposite end of the machine.

The left-hand end of the casing shown in Fig. 1,

as well as in Fig. 2, will, for convenience, herein be referred to as the 1eft-hand end.

Figure 2 shows a portion of the conveyor 13 in 5 engagement with a sprocket wheel 23 loosely mounted on the pivotal connection 19 for the bellcrank C. The conveyor 13 is provided with a plurality of bottle-holders 24 which receive in them bottles 25 at the loading end of the machine,

reached their upper limit of movement.

which is the'opposite end from that illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2.

The lower part of the casing A contains a tank D which receives the soaking or washing solution. This solution usually is an alkali. solution, or other caustic, for cleaning bottles passing through it.

At the left-hand end of the machine, a bucket 26 is provided for being raised from and lowered into the bath within the tank D. The bucket is illustrated as having end rollers 27 and back rollers 28. The end rollers 2'7 engage in the channel trackways 29, which, for the most part, are vertical, but at the upper ends are arched to the right, as viewed in Fig. 2. The rear rollers 28 engage against parts of angle guide members 30 so that the bucket 26 is maintained in upright position during its raising and lowering movements. The

upper ends of the guideways 30 are hooked as at 31 to receive therein the back rollers 28, when the bucket 26 has been elevated to a raised position. The back rollers 28 engage the hooks 31 of the rear guide prior to the time the end rollers 27 have This results, therefore in a tipping or tilting of the bucket 26 to discharge its contents.

Disposed within the casing is a strainer basket 32 which has an open top and foraminous end walls 33 and is adapted to receive a supply of caustic or other cleansing agent. The casing is provided with a door 34 through which access may be had to the basket 32 for replenishing the alkali contents thereof and also for removing the accumulation of foreign matter there may be therein as delivered thereto by the bucket 26 during its movements.

The bucket 26 is raised and lowered by means of links 35 which at their lower ends are connected to the pivots of the rollers 27 and at their upper ends to the rod or shaft 14 extending transversely through the machine casing which forms pivotal connection between the links 11 and 16. Counterweights 36 are mounted on the cross-rod 14 for counterbalancing the driving mechanism.

may be apertured at 39, for the purpose of drainstrength of the bath at maximum.

age.

The bucket 26, instead of being provided with end rollers 27, may have a shaft 40 extending through it the ends of the shaft engaging the guideway 29 and for connection with the link 35, as shown in Figure 3.

The bucket 26, being connected to the actuating mechanism for advancing the conveyor, is operated intermittently, as the conveyor is advanced in step by step movement.

As the cross-head 2 descends the left-hand end of the levers 11 Will be raised thus raising the bucket 26. During its raising movement the bucket of course will be filled with liquid from the bath and will pick up any scum or floating matter on the surface of the bath overlying the bucket. The contents of the bucket then are discharged into the basket 32. The liquid portion of the bucket contents then return to the bath through the apertures in the ends and front of the basket 32 and any solid matter that there was in the bucket, remains on top of the pile of caustic material in the basket, to be later removed through the door 84 when convenient. With the return to the bath of the liquid discharged into the basket by the bucket, some of the caustic material in the basket is carried along with this liquid thus replenishing the bath and thereby maintaining the Replenishing the bath in the manner described, prevents an accumulation of solid caustic matter at an inconvenient place to get at in the machine. Furthermore the utilization of the basket for the caustic or other cleansing agent isconvenient for observation so that the contents may be replenished as occasion demands as the amount may be readily observed by the operator by opening the door 34.

The operation of the driving mechanism is as follows:

The shaft 6, which is rotated by means of the motor 7, carries a pinion in mesh with one of the triangular gears 5 and one of the swinging arms 3 at one side of the apparatus and a similar pinion meshes with a triangular gear 5 on the swinging arm 3 at the opposite side of the apparatus. There are triangular racks disposed within the triangular portions 5 which engage the pinions on the shaft 6 so that the driving arms 3 are given swinging movement and also vertical movement. The vertical movement of the swinging arms raises and lowers the rams or plungers carried by the rod 8 and the swinging movement of the arm 3 is eifective to oscillate the levers 9 and thus actuate the pawls pivoted to the upper ends of these levers, for intermittently advancing the conveyor chain. The levers 9. are pivoted at 10 to the machine casing. The levers 11 are rocked about the pivot 10 as the arms 3 move in vertical direction,'to thus raise and lower the link 16, and actuate the attached mechanism. The raising and lowering of the link 16 causes a corresponding raising and lowering movement of the bucket 26 of the cleansing means. Furthermore, the raising and lowering of the link 16 oscillate the bell crank C for operating the link 22 to actuate the loading and unloading mechanism at the opposite end of th machine.

The invention is claimed as follows:

1. In a bottle washing machine of the type provided with a soaking bath, a bottle support for advancing bottles in step by step movement through said bath, and with means for imparting step by step movement to said bottle support, means for removing and straining a portion of the bath, said means including a bucket, connections between said bottle moving means and said bucket for raising and lowering said bucket as said bottle moving. means operate, a strainer basket, and means for overturning said bucket when in raised position to discharge the contents thereof into said strainer, the liquid contained in said bucket returning to the bath through said strainer.

2. In a bottle washing machine including a soaking bath and means for moving a plurality of bottles through said bath together with means for actuating said first mentioned means, a bucket within said bath, means actuated by said last mentioned means for raising the bucket above the bath, means for tipping the bucket while in raised position to discharge its contents, and a strainer basket disposed above the bath for receiving the discharged contents of said bucket, said strainer basket permitting return of the liquid contents of said bucket to said bath.

3. Means for-cleansing a soaking bath of a bottle washing'machine, which machine includes means for moving a plurality of bottles through the bath together with means for actuating the moving means, comprising an overturnable bucket within said bath, means actuated by said moving means for raising the bucket out of the bath and lowering it into the bath, means for 150 maintaining said bucket erect during its raising and lowering movements, means for overturning the bucket while in raised position to discharge its contents, and a strainer basket disposed above the bath for receiving the discharged contents of said bucket, said strainer basket permitting the return of the liquid content of the bucket to the bath.

4. A cleansing apparatus including, a tank for a cleansing bath, a bucket within said tank, means for raising said bucket out of said bath and lowering it into said bath, means for maintaining said bucket in upright position during its raising and lowering movements, means for tilting said bucket in raised position to empty 

